Mixing device



une 18, 19-40.

MIXING DEVICE Filed Feb. 4, 1957 N. W. BARNES Patented June s, 19 40 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MIXING DEVICE Norman W. Barnes, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to The Fulton Sylphon Company,

Knoxville,

Tenn., a corporation of Delaware Application February 4, 1937, Serial No. 124,129.v

2 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in.

novel mixing device wherein it-is' necessary to 'utilize only. one valve member.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel mixing device in'which the mixture may be kept at a desired temperature by improved thermostatic means.

Another object of this invention is to provideimproved manually adjustable means whereby the temperature of, the mixture may be regulated and when set the temperature will be maintained constant by thermostatic means.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear 'as this specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a section of a preferred of the mixing device; and

.Fig. 2 is a top view of the mixing device to show a suitable calibrated index and manually adjustable handle for regulating the temperature of the mixture of hot and cold water or other fluids. 1

In the form shown in Fig. 1; valve body or casing l, of any suitable size, construction and material, is illustrated as having oppositely disposed screw-threaded nipples 2 and 3 arfiacent oneend thereof. Screw-threaded nipples 2'and are adapted to receive the threaded ends of hot and cold water pipes, respectively, and are illustrated as separated from each other and from mixing chamber 4, also within the valve body, by suitable partitions 5 and 6 in valve body I. Partitions 5 and 6 may be'made integral with valve body I, as illustrated, as by casting, and contain suitable apertures "I, 8 and 9 which may be screw-threaded to receive valve seat insert l0.

Valve seat insert l0 contains related chamhers a, b and c which may be of any suitable size and shape and which'ar'e separated by interiorpartition walls ported to provide valve seats l4 and I5. Chamber 1; has its wall suitably perforated as at H so that communication is provided between chamber a and mixing chamber 4. Chamber 17 also has its wall suitably perforated as at l2 so that it commrmicates with coldwater nipple 3,'and it also communicates with chamber a through a valve port hereinafter referred to. Chamber-a contains poppet or valve embodiment member l3 of any suitable construction and material and which may seat either on valve seat l4, here shown as provided on an annular memher which is suitably retained within valve seat insert Ill as by screw threads, or on' valve seat l5 here shown as suitably formed on the integral partition wall between chambersa and b. Suitably attached to valve seat insert Ill, as by brazing, screw threads, or otherwise, and thereby forming a part thereof, spring cage member ll 0 of any suitable material ariddesign and which is perforated as at H to allow hot water from nipple 2 to enter the chamber c in the interior of valve seat insert "I. Slidably mounted in cage member l6 isvalve' stem l8 of poppet l3, which carries spring seat I9. Spring 20 surrounds valve stem iland reacts between spring seat l9 and the cage member It in such manner as to tend to force poppet ll toward valve seat l5 and out 01f the flow of cold I water from nipple 3 into chamber a. Suitably attached to poppet l3, as by screw threads, is valve stem 2| of any suitable design and which carries at its extremity a suitable plug 22. Plus 22 projects though the aperture in ring 23 which 85 is brazed or otherwise secured within valve seat insert Ill, and reciprocatingly mounted in said in any suitable manner to the extremity of expansible and contractible member 2! is head 28 which bears against plug 26 in such a manner that apressure exerted on head 28 will cause a corresponding movement of spring tube 24 which will be transmitted through spring 25 to valve stem 2| and thence to poppet l3. Surrounding expansible and contractible member 21 in such manner as to form a fluid-tight enclosure therewith is rigid tubular wall 29 of any" suitable shape and material which is held in position by a suitable assembly ring 31 and which constitutes the inner wall of mixing chamber 4.

' Coiled or otherwise positioned about casing 29 in mixing chamber 4 is pipe 3| which communicates with the space between expansible and contractible member 21 and member 29. Said coiled pipe 3| and the space between expansible and contractible member 21 and member 23 are filled with a suitable thermosensitive liquid which is sensitive to temperature changes within mixing chamber 4. A suitable wall 32 surrounds coiled pipe 3| and is brazed or othe wise aflixed to valve body I so as to form a water-tight enclosure within valve body I, 'said wall 32 constituting the outer wall oi. mixing chamber 4.

Suitably aflixed to valve body I, as by one or more screws 34, and with interposed gasket 33, is bonnet member 35of any suitable shape and construction. Within bonnet member 35 is member 35 which contains said screw-threaded plug 31 to which member 29 is suitably attached. Rotatably mountedon member 35'but held against axial movement is adjusting stem 38 which is externally screw-threaded at its inner end and engages internal threads in adjusting block 39. Handle 4| is mounted on adjusting stem 38 in any suitable way, as by screw 40, in such manner that clockwise rotation of handle 4| will cause upward movement of adjusting block 39. Leaf spring 42'is carried by member 35 and reacts between saidmember and said handle in such manner as to prevent loose play of said handle.

- A second expansible and contractible member or bellows 43 is suitably aifixed at one end to adjusting block 39, as by brazing, and has its opposite extremity suitably secured as by brazing, to the end of casing 29 so as to constitute a flexible and fluid-tight extension of the chamber between expansible and collapsible member 21 and member29.

Handle 4| carries suitable pointer means 44 which registers with a. suitable scale 45 carried by bonnet member 35.

From the mixing chamber 4 suitable outlet means (not shown) lead to the shower spray or other distributing means.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a top plan of the mixing device showing adjusting handle 4|, with its pointer 44 registering with index 45. Suitable stop pins 46 may limit the amount of clockwise or counterclockwise movement of adjusting handle 4| to prevent too great a compression or expansion of expansible and contractible member 43. Index 45 may be attached to the upper portion of bonnet member 35 in any suitable manner so that pointer 44 of adjusting handle 4| will suitably register therewith.

The device functions as follows: Hot water from pipe or other source joining nipple 2 passes through the apertures H in cage 6 into valve seat insert l0, and past poppet l3 through the apertures H in chamber a into mixing chamber 4. Cold water from pipe or other source joining nipple 3 passes through apertures l2 in the wall of chamber b into valve seat insert I0, past poppet |3 into chamber a and into the mixing chamber through apertures ll. When the heat of this mixture expands the thermosensitive liquid in coiled pipe 3| and in the expansible and contractible chamber 41 defined between expansible and collapsible member 21 and member 29, head member 28 is depressed, valve stem 2| is forced inwardly, and poppet I3 is forced toward seat l4. against the tension of spring 20, to decrease the flow of hot water from nipple 2 and increase the flow of cold water from nipple 3. When the mixture becomes cooler there is a corresponding contraction in the thermosensitive liquid in coiled pipe 3| and in the expansible and contractible chamber 41, and expansible and contractible member 21 expands under the action of spring 20, moving valve stem 2| outwardly,

This clockwise movement of adjusting handle 4| causes an outward movement of adjusting block 39 and expansion of bellows 43, decreasing the pressure in chamber 41 and allowing expansible and contractible member 21 to expand under the action of spring 20. This expansion of expansible and contractible member 21 raises valve stem 2| and poppet 3, decreasing the flow of cold water from nipple 3 into mixing chamber 4 and allowing an increased flow of hot water from nipple 2 into the mixing chamber 4 to increase the temperature of the mixture.

If a cooler mixture is desired, adjusting handle 4| is turned in a counterclockwise direction to the cooler temperature desired. This counterclockwise movement of adjusting handle 4| causes an inward movement of adjusting block 33 and contraction of bellows 43, increasing the pressure in chamber 41 and contracting expansi ble and contractible member 21 against the tension of spring 20. This contraction of expansible and contractible member 21 forces valve stem 2| and poppet l3 inward, decreasing the ingress of hot water from nipple 2 into the mixing chamflow of hot water is decreased or-cut off and theflow of cold water from nipple 3 into the mixing chamber 4 is increased until the temperature of the mixture becomes that predetermined by the setting of the handle 4|.

The converse is true when the temperature of the mixture becomes colder than the setting. In such case the thermosensitive liquid in coiled pipe 26 and expansible and contractible chamber 41 contracts and expansible and contractible member 21 expands, valve stem 2| and poppet l3 are raised, decreasing the flow of cold water from nipple 3 and increasing the flow of hot water into the mixing chamber 4 to raise the temperature of the'mixture to that predetermined by the setting of the handle 4|.

Spring tube 24, which may slide over plug 22,

and spring 25 prevent damage toexpansible and 4 contractible member 21 if under any circumstances the temperature of the mixture in mixing chamber 4 continues to rise after' poppet I3 is completely seated'on valve seat l4. Such 'fur ther rise in temperature of the mixture causes atthetemperaturebythesetting ofthethennostatbyctaled npe 31 and expansible and collapsible chamber ll, said temperature being accurately controlled by the adjustment or the valve member I: with respect to its seats II and I5 under the action of said thermostat.

While the embodiment illustrated on the draw inghasbeendescribedwithconsiderableparticularity, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is susceptible of many embodiments without departing from the spirit of the inven: tion, and reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid mixer, the combination o1 avalve casing provided with hot and cold fluid inlets and a mixture outlet, said valve casing also in-- cluding a mixing chamber, partitions within said casing separating said but and cold fluid inlets from said-mixing chamber, a pair of opposed valve seats defining an intermediate chamber in communication with said mixing chamber, a single valve member within said intermediate chamber adapted to cooperate with both of said valve seats and constituting the sole means for regulatlng the flow from said hot and cold fluid inlets into said mixing chamber, thermostatic means including an expansible and contractible chamber for controlling said valve member dis posed within said mixing chamben means operatively connecting said expansible and contractible chamber with said valve member and means for adjusting said thermostatic means including anfexpansible and collapsible member attached at one end to said chamber and extending beyond the same to provide an expansible and collapsible extension thereof, said extension having a movable end wall, and means including a banvalve casing and having a threaded with said movable end wall for expanding and collapsingsaidextenslontovarythevolmneoi' said chamber.

2. In a. fluid mixer, the combination or a valve casing provided with hot and cold fluid inlets and a mixture outlet, said valve casing also including a mixing chamber, partitions within said casing Separating said but and cold fluid inlets from said chamber, a pair of opposed'valveseats defining an intermediate chamber in communication with said mixing chamber, a single valve member within said intermediate chamber and adapted to cooperate with both of said valve seats and constituting the sole means for regulating the flow from said hot and cold fluid inlets into said mixing chamber, and thermostatic means for controlling said valve member disposed within saidmixingchamberandoperaflvelyconnected' expansible and collapsible chamber, said pipe andsaidchamberbeingfllledwithathermosensitive liquid, and means for adjusting said thermostatic means including an expansible and collapsible member attached at one end to said rigid member and extending beyond the same to provide an le and collapsible extension thereof, said extension having a movable end wall, and means including a handle readily accessible from the exterior of said valve casing and having'a threaded connection with said movable end wall i'or expanding and collapsing said extension to vary the volumeof said mm W. manna. 

